Politics

Iraq Told The U.S. To Leave. The Trump Administration Is Telling Them To Pay More For America To Stay

Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Anders Hagstrom White House Correspondent
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Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi requested the U.S. make plans to withdraw forces from the country Friday, but the U.S. State Department has unequivocally refused.

Abdul-Mahdi told reporters he had called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking the U.S. to send a delegation to plan for a U.S. withdrawal, NBC News reported. Pompeo quickly pushed back on that idea, however, saying not only will the U.S. remain in Iraq, but Iraq will have to start paying more for them to stay. (RELATED: Iran’s Supreme Leader In Tears At Funeral For Soleimani)

The prime minister’s request comes nearly a week after the Iraqi parliament voted to end the U.S. military’s deployment in the country. (RELATED: Trump: Democrats Would Have Leaked Soleimani Action ‘To The Fake News’)

Instigating the move was the U.S. drone strike on Iranian Gen. and known terrorist Qasem Soleimani at the Baghdad airport. Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Quds Force, was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and thousands of others.

Trump’s administration argues Soleimani was actively involved in plotting further attacks on America and our allies, but his Democratic critics claim the attack was a dangerous escalation that could drag the U.S. into open conflict in the Middle East.